This invention relates generally to communicating data via a network, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for communicating gas turbine engine data via a network that includes a narrowband segment and a broadband segment.
Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section, and at least one turbine section. The compressor compresses air, which is mixed with fuel and channeled to the combustor. The mixture is then ignited thereby generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases are channeled to the turbine which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor, as well as producing useful work to power a load, such as an electrical generator, or to propel an aircraft in flight.
The Dry Low NOx (DLN) operational techniques used in modern gas turbines have conflicting requirements of combustion stability, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission limits. A lean fuel/air mixture used by DLN technology fed into gas turbine combustors provides less NOx, but contributes to combustion instabilities. Accordingly, accurately determining the combustion dynamics of a gas turbine becomes very useful. Remote monitoring of gas turbines, especially industrial gas turbines, has become increasingly common. For example, technicians employed by a manufacturer of the gas turbine may remotely analyze information regarding the operation of the gas turbine and prescribe corrective steps, such as parts replacements or operation adjustments. On-site operators of the gas turbine may perform the replacement of parts and operation adjustments. Remotely analyzing and diagnosing data collected from a gas turbine and computing accurate information regarding the combustion dynamic levels of the gas turbine becomes a useful enabler for above activities.
At least some known gas turbines are located remotely from high-speed and broadband network access points. Consequently, data transmitted between local gas turbine engine control and monitoring systems may be routed through dial-up connections through existing telephone lines. Such connections are generally handled by a remote access server (RAS) that couples the dial-up user to a network. Such connections may be termed “narrowband”, meaning only a limited amount of data may be transmitted through the connection, making the connection relatively slow for effective communications between the local control systems and remote workstations where tuning engineers may be monitoring the gas turbine engine operation. At least some known network architectures that include narrowband and broadband segments are susceptible to data pile-up and consequently lost data, especially in network systems using User Datagram Protocol (UDP).